Animated sign and method of operating it



Nov. 15, 1938.

ANIMATED S IGN AND METHOD OF OPERATING IT Filed Dec. 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l 8% QMi iZ W J. G. BEST 2,137,127

Nov. 15, 1938. G, BEST 2,137,127

ANIMATED SIGN ANDMETHOD OF OPERATING IT Filed Dec. 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fz'y. 4 F157 5' Patented Nov. 15, 1938 PATENT OFFICE ANIMATED SIGN AND a ING METHOD or orEuA'r- John Gordon' Best, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor to General Animated Signs, Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a company of Ontario, Canada Application December 10, 1937, Serial No. 179,196 In Canada February 12, 1937' g 4 9 Olaims. (01. 40-130) The present invention relates toanimated signs and is more particularly concerned with illuminated animated signs of the character in which an illusion of animation is brought about by varying the color of the sign illumination.- The invention is further concerned with methods of animating such signs to produce special effects.

The illusion of animation produced according to my invention is due wholly to the physiological and psychological efiects vcaused by my special lighting, color and background arrangements.

The basic or primary animationis physiological and is based upon well known optical color laws such as color reflection and absorption, etc.; frequency of cyclic color changes; color and background combination in the sign and color com bination in the illuminating means for the sign; and physiological efiects and phenomena such as chromatic aberration, irradiation, etc.- V

The basic animation is presented when the cyclic color change of the sign illuminating means is between certain limits of frequency. With proper conditions the illusion of M animation is produced in the range between one and twenty cyclic color changes per second. However, in

certain cases, as where an illusion of natural directional motion is desired to accompany the basic animation,- the range is preferably between one andone-half and four cyclic color changes per second. It is a major objecf or my invention to provide novel animated'signsand methods of operating the same wherein the illusion of animation is obtained by illuminating ,the sign with lights of different colors.v I A further object of my invention is to provide a novel'animated sign in which the illusion of animation is physiologicallyproduced. A further object of my invention is to provide a novel animated sign in which an illusion of natural movement is psychologically produced. Anotherobject of my inventionis to provide a sign which will have normal advertising value in the daytime when not being illuminated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sign having distinctively colored indicia markings upon a neutral backgroundand which is illuminated alternately by light which has the same predominant hue as part of the colored indicia and by light of a different color whereby an illusion of animation is produced. 1 1

Another object of my invention is to provide: an animated sign having certain portions of the indicia animating and certain portions non animating and having suitable illuminating means. for creating an illusion of animation at r the animating portions of the indicia. In one embodiment of my invention the non-animating portions appear stationary and serve as message bearing indicia only. In another embodiment of my invention the non-animating indicia are of ,such former of such a nature as toproduce a psychological effect of natural motion in the indicia which supplements and amplifies the basic animation produced by color changes in the illuminating means. 7 Further objects of my invention will'become apparent asthe specification proceeds in connection-With the annexed drawings, and'from the appended claims. v

In thedrawings; G Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement by which my indicia bearing sign gmay be illuminated to produce animation effects according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a modified form of the sign surface and indiciaof Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a still further modified form of the sign surface and indicia of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a front View of a sign forming part of my invention and. illustrates a manner of :creating an illusion of natural movement of an object. Here, specifically, a circlemaybe made to appear to rotate in a specific direction, I Figure 5 illustrates another sign embodying my invention and illustrates a manner of creating an illusion of natural movement of a bird.

Here the animated parts are integral with the I Figure 8 is a partially diagrammatic view of a a suitable form of illuminating means for giving alternate flashes of different .colored light and which maybe used with any of the signs of the invention.

Before proceeding with a detailed description ofthe invention it will belhelpful to define the various terms usedin the specification and claims.

B-y-indicia I mean markings at the surface of the sign. The indicia may be animating or non-animating and maybe pictorial or non-pictorial. The indicia may combine to define an object, or may be entirely separate from each other, or may be superposedat least in part.

By background I mean the portions ofthe sign contacting the Whole or a major portion of the periphery of the indicia andextending out- Wardly therefrom an indedeterminate distance. Thus the background may be merely an outline or border around the indicia, or may be the whole or a large portion of the field upon which the indicia are displayed. For instance, the indicia may assume the form of figures or letters and may have a contrastingly colored border of neutral or non-neutral color and in such case the borders can be regarded as the background.

By illumination I mean the casting of colored lights upon the sign in accordance with this invention. v

By neutral color I mean a color that has no distinguishing or dominant hue. Examples of such are white, black, grey or brown.

By dominant hue or distinguishing hue I mean a color which has a predominant wave band which makes the light appear to an observer to be of particular color. For example, a light whichan observer might call red may contain some yellow or blue light which is not apparent due to the overwhelming preponderancy of wave bandsin the red portion of the visible spectrum. Thus, whenever I state that a light has a dominant hue or is of a certain color I means to include not only substantially monochromatic light but also impure colors which generally have the same appearance as the monochromatic light. A specific example of this is that when I say red I mean'to include among others, impure colors generally known as magenta and scarlet but which have predominant red wave bands.

By. cyclic color change I mean the exposure of the sign to light of one color for its full time interval and to the other color through its full time interval and until the beginning of the next exposure of the sign to light of the first color.

By non-animating I mean that the part or parts referred to are colored in colors, including neutral colors, which are not animated when subjected to light which animates'other portions of the sign.

In amplification of the nature of non-animating colors, the properties of a color which render it non-animating are:

(a) Its ability to reflect back both of the colors alternately cast upon the sign. Such colors may be white, grey, brown, yellow, etc.

(b) Its ability to absorb both colors cast upon the sign. Such colors maybe black, dark blue, etc.

By basic or primary animation I mean the illusion of animation produced physiologically by the alternate lighting arrangement of my invention. This is'to be distinguished from the illusion of natural-movement or directional motion which is psychologically produced. This psychological illusion amplifies and gives direction to the physiologically created basic animation.

By discrete I mean separate and individual images are observed as distinguished from images which, due to the persistency of vision, optically blend and appear continuously visible.

With reference to Figure 1 a sign I! having a background I2 is illuminated by light from a suitable source l9. The indicia upon background I 2 consists-ofa primary or animating part 13 and a secondary or non-animating part l4. Background l2 may be of any suitable color such as a non-neutral color, or a color complementary to that of part I 3.

Animating part l3 which may be composed of one or several different co-operating or non-cooperating representations, iscolored in a color which has a distinguishing or dominant hue. Since colors having high energy value are preferred in signs, the animating color is preferably red although any color may be selected as desired.

Non-animating part M, which may or may not be composed of one or several different cooperating or non-co-operating representations, is colored in a color which may have a dominant hue or may be neutral, but which is selected to be constantly visible no matter what color is being projected on the sign.

The sign is preferably illuminated by a projector which casts differently colored lights alternately upon the same.

Such a projector may comprise a pair of lamps before each of which is disposed alight filter of suitable color with the lamp circuits controlled by suitable flasher switches, or may comprise the rotatable color filter assembly of Figure 8, later to be described.

One of these color screens or filters is designed to pass light which has the same dominant due as the animating color on the sign. The other color screen or filter is designed to pass light which is deficient in the dominant hue of the animating indicia. In practice it has been found Very satisfactory to project complementary colored lights upon the sign. For example, where red primary indicia markings are used, red and green lights are projected on the sign. The secondary or nonanimating indicia markings are of course of such color as to reflect or absorb both red and green.

Suitable and preferable animating indicia colors are red, green and blue. Suitable and preferable non-animating colors are yellow, orange, green, blue or violet or even a neutral color.

The non-animating indicia may be located upon the same colored background as the animating indicia or may have provided for it a background of a different color.

In operation the flasher in the circuit of the lamps in projector it is operated to alternately andsuccessively light these lamps thereby casting alternate flashes of differently colored light upon the sign ll. When light of the animating color falls on the sign the primary animating portion I3 and the non-animating portion M are both visible to an observer but, when the nonanimating light is being projected, portion I3 is not visible in its own color because the nonanimating light-is deficient in the dominant hue of portion l3 and will therefore not be reflected or transmitted thereby.

Hence the observer views a sign background upon which the primary indicia are alternately visible and the secondary indicia are constantly visible. When the cyclic color frequency has been regulated properly the primary part I3 Will be seen alternately as discrete images and will present an appearance of animation comprising a pulsating movement due mostly to the effect of chromatic aberration in the eye and a bodily movement in space relative to the background. In some cases there is a stereoscopic effect so that the indicia appears to stand out from the background.

The frequency at which the cyclic color change takes place must be high enough to allow the observer to gain a sense of animation, but must not be so high as to optically merge the images or th primarmnartabecause of. persistence. of vision; midi-therefore: make them constantly visible; Preferably therange of cyclic color change should bein the neighborhood of from one and one-half to ,four cyclic changes per-second for best practical results; v

- .This illusion; of animation is ,the' primary or basic animation whichthepresent invention produces: A few examples of specific lighting; ar-

rangementsare given-to show the flexibility of this-principle. Some equivalent light methods' for animating a sign'having red primary indicia are listed below. I V l 'f-(a) Red and green lights may be alternately caston the sign.- I e (b) A green light may be kept on continuously and a red light alternated on and off ;at suitable frequencies." 1'. I e (c) A red or green lightmay be kept-uncontinuouslyand a polychromatic or orthochromatic light alternated on or oil at suitable frequencies; (d) Red light-and poly or-jorthoc'hromatic light may be alternated on or off at-suitable frequen- I cies. i -('e.) Green light and polychromatic or ortho chromatic'light may be alternated on or off at snitablefrequencies.

The particularlmethod of lighting will depend on the nature of the sign and the kind of anir mation desired, A 1 V in the sign of Figure 1 the animated primary indicia serves to catch and hold the attention of an observer. The secondary non-animating indicia conveys the advertising message toithe observer. I w a: v ..;-In Figure 2 is illustrated anembodiment of th'e invention comprising ,a sign 2| having a back ground Zlluponwhich are disposed animating indicia 22, which are colored in a'color havinga. distinguishing hue corresponding with one of the colors of thew-lighting device. Indiciamarkings 23 on that background are-neutral in color. The backgroundmaybe of any non-animating 0010 except thecolor used for indicia 23.1 1

; When illuminatedby thelight arrangement described above inFigureglg indicia-22 will appear to animate whilegindiciag 23 will be constantly visible at all times. Of course, the-,relative c'olors of indicia 23 and the-background may be. selected so that either may be substantially non-reflective, as would bethe caseif colored-black, whilethe other is highly reflective if colored white; grey, yellow,-'etc. Another embodiment of the invention isillustratedinFigure 3 where a sign .29comprisesja background 3| on "which is'disposedanimating indicia30 and" 32 colored in asuitable animating color." A portion 33 of the background is. colored differently from the remainder of the background and has disposed thereon :non' animating indicia 34 colored in suitablejnonranimating. colors. Background; 33 is preferably neutral in color.

For practical purposes the non-animating 001m v 5.8 passesrv-through acondenserp59 and then here pointed out that:any colorheavily. shaded with black such as :dark blue; dark violet; dark green, etc. maybe considered the full equivalent of black for purposes: of theinve'ntions" The embodiments of the invention illustrated in'Figures l l'are mainly concerned with creating illusions ofna'tural directional motion or movement and involve'the addition of motion indicating indicia tosupplement the animation produc-- ing.effectsabovedescribed..

. In. Figure 4 a sign 35 is provided preferably with a :neutral background 36-upon which is disposed an annular ring or circle 3! colored in a suitable animating color such as red. A plurality of arrows 38 are associated with circle 31 and all point in the same direction of motion. Arrows 38 are co-lored'in a non-animating-color so as to be continuously visible. Herethe'nonanimating indicia is separatefrom the pictorial representation. a v

' lWhen such a sign scribed above'and at a rate of ,from one, and one-half to fourcyclic changes per second, an illusion of animationiscreated in the animating indicia or: circle .31. This illusion is supplemented and amplified and given directional charis alternately lighted as deacteristics by the presence of arrows 38 so that circle 31 appears to'rotate in the directionof the arrowsor clockwise as shown in Figure 4. This illusion of directional movement is produced psychologically. and is suggested by the non-ani matingindicia and if the arrows pointed inthe oppositedirection theflcircle would appear-to so rotate. '7

In Figure 5 a sign 39 has a neutral background 48 upon which. a bird is pictorially disposed. Wing portions 4| are colored in an animating 'color while the body 42 is colored in a non-anicyclically illuminated as above described the red flames. appear to move,'upward in; a, natural and flamelilremanner.v while, the fuel and .the yellow flamesappear relatively stationary.,'1 f- The embodimentjof the invention shown in Figure 7, involvesl-an-arrangement opposite to that of, Figure 41in that theindicia which appears to-moveis here colored in non-animating colors.

' Figure. 7 shows a sign -54having.a.;neutral background 55 upon which an automobile 56 is portrayedira non-animatin color. A series of lines .5 inanimating color'such as red aredisposed behind the automobile- When .thissign' is cyclically illuminated" theiredilines rappear to animate and impart to theautomobilean illusion of natural and directionahmovement, Herethe animating-indicia areseparate markingswhich impart an illusion oi natural'motionto a separate r rireri a m n 6 1 j A nrthenf rmpi c olor changing mechanism w chrnay be usedisshown at Figure 8 in which substantially whitealight from; agsuitable source through a, rotating .colonwheel or shutter 60 driven Ij byjgai suitable constant 301!" variable speed motor (not shown-hand whichihlasitwo difierent color 'segments..or filters 6i andf62t Beam 63 isprojectedllponj any ofwthecolor signs above described; Kilt :will; be obvious that beam ,63 is alternatelyiof different colors in practicingthe inventiom i Although the above disclosed embodiments of. my invention specifically illustrate signs in which fthmcclor -ieilects are attained. through reflected therein.

light from suitably colored portions of the sign, it will be apparent that the invention'is equally well applicable to signs having translucent or transparent color portions for producing the same effects. Where such light permeable signs are used, the" source of-light such as the projector of Figure 8 is located behind the sign and the modified light is transmitted to the eye of the observer. Furthermore translucent'signs may be used to produce the same lighting effects.

For carrying out my invention where an illusion of natural or directional movement is desired, the object to be given the appearance of motion should be studied and analyzed. The best arrangement of animating'and non-animating lines should be selected fo'r the sign. For example, it-may be bestto locate the animation producing lines entirely separate from the object to be animated and which appears to move as in Figure 7.

Selection 'of the frequency of cyclic color change depends upon the character of the object portrayed. For example, the frequency when showing a gull in flight would be lower than that employed to show liquid flow from a bottle or a speeding auto-mobile. In most cases, while the primary or basic animation may be small the secondary or psychological effect is usually amplified and quite natural.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which-come within the meaning and range of equivalency-of the claims are therefore intended to be'embraced What is claimed and desired'to be secured by United-States Letters Patent isr 1. In an animated signfa background of neutral color, indicia upon said background, said indicia comprising a primary part which is colored in a single animating color having a dominant hue and a secondary part which is colored in a nonanimating color and means for illuminating said sign in such a manner as toproduce and convey to the eyes of an observer the illusion of-animation in said sign, and to render said primary part intermittently distinctly visible in contrasting relationship to saidsecondary part, said illuminating means effecting periodic exposures of said'sign to light of substantially the same dominant hue as the animating color and said said periodic exposures being spaced by exposures of said sign 'to'light whose dominant hue is different from that of the animating color.

2. In the animated sign defined inclaim 1, said illuminating means being operable to project said light upon said sign'with a cyclic color frequency of from one and one half to four cycles per second, said frequency being sufiicient difierentcolors, oneof' said lights being of substantially the same color as said primary part and the other of said lights being deficient in the distinguishing'hue of said primary color, whereby anillusionof animation is conveyed to the eyes of an observer, said primary'part of said indicia smoothly animating in sharp contrast to said background, the absence of animating color in the latter avoiding fatigue of the human eye and-causing the single colored primary part of said indicia to stand out in predominating relations'hipon said background.

4. In an animated sign having a two part background, indicia upon said background, said indicia comprising a primary part colored in an animating color and located on one part of the backgroundand a secondary" part of non-animating color located on the other part of said background and means for illuminating said sign alternately with lights of difierent color, said background parts being difierently colored with one- 0f said background parts being neutral in color. and the other of said background parts being non-neutral in color. 5. In an animated sign of the'type described in claim 4, said primary part being predominantly red and located upon a background of substantially complementary color.

6. The" method of making animating signs which comprises analyzing the subject to be animated, providing a background of neutralcolor, pictorially representing upon that background an inherently animate part of the subject colored in an inanimate color, pictorially representing upon the same background another part colored in a single animatecolor and being of comparatively small area with respect to the area of the background and alternatingly illuminating said sign with" light rays of animate and inanimate color 'iwhereby the combined physiological and psychological-influences of said lighting create an illusion of animated natural movement of said" subject, said single animate colored part smoothly animating in sharp contrast against said background, the absence of animating colors in the latter avoiding fatigue of the human eye and subordinating said background to said'animate colored part of said sign. Y :-7'.- Apparat us for'producinga psychologically induced-optical illusion of animation in a sign having indicia of. suitable animating color upon a-background of neutral color comprising means for alternately illuminating the sign with lights of "diiferent colors, one of Which'has the same predominant hue-as the color of the animating ihcliciaandfthe other of which has a different predominating hue, said alternations having a frequency of greater than one and one-half and less than four cyclic color changes per second, said'frequency being sufiicient toeffect smooth animation 'of said-indicia but yet sufiiciently low to avoid fatigue of the human eyedue to rapid color. change. 4

E 8. The method of producing an optical illusion of animation in a sign having indicia of suitableranimatingcolor upon a background of neutral color which comprises alternately illuminating 'the 'sign with lights of diiferent. colors, one of whichhas the same predominant hue as the color of the animating indicia andthe other of which has a difi'erent predominant hue, said a1- ternations having a frequency of greater than one and one-half and less than four cyclic color changes per second, said frequency being sumcient to eifect smooth-animation of said indicia but yet sufliciently low to avoid fatigue of the human eye due to rapid color change. I

9. In an animated sign, a background of neutral color, indicia upon said background, said in-'- dicia comprising a pictorial primary part which is colored in a single animating color and a secondary part which is colored in a non-animating color, said primary pictorialpart being of comparatively small area with respect to the area of said background and means for successively illuminating said sign with lights of difierent dominant hues, one of said lights having its dominant hue substantially the same as that of the animating color whereby said primary part is alternately visible and said secondary part is continuously visible and an illusion of animation of said primary part is conveyed. to the observer, said non-animating secondary part comprising lettering pictorially distinct from said primary part but being a component part of the sign, said pictorial primary part of said indicia smoothly animating in sharpcontrast against said backgroundthe absence of animating color inthe latter avoiding fatigue of the human eye and causing said primary part to vividly stand out from said background and predominate thereover.

' JOHN. GORDON BEST. 

